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26 March, 2011

Missing a Guild Sale

I can tell you what I am not doing today. I am not on vacation in Nanaimo, B.C., buying up all the fibre at the local guild sale there. A handspinners' guild sale is like a rummage sale but with wool and used spinning wheels packed into a hall to sift through. In other words, fun stuff. Scattershot inventory, of course, but part of the draw is never knowing what you'll find.

I went a couple of years ago. There were secondhand looms and weaving tools; the Mid-Island Weavers and Spinners guild has both spinners and weavers. There were buns and hot drinks. There were local vendors with booths. I heard afterward that by noon some of the destash fibre was marked down to almost nothing–probably the stuff from an estate the guild volunteers didn't want to take home–and ever since then I've wanted to shop the sale again to see it at closing time as well as opening time. But, sadly I am a little too far away to nip in and browse.

I mentioned destash fibre. I mean fibre for handspinning, whatever it may be (wool, mohair, angora, alpaca, silk, etc.) that someone bought intending to use, subsequently changed their mind, and decided to resell or give away. Destash fibre is different from retail fibre that a vendor obtains from a producer, miller, or wholesaler to sell to customers. If you don't spin yarn, you've probably never thought about the secondhand market for fibre, eh? I myself destashed some merino, merino blended with bamboo and nylon, and local merino crossbreed fibre last weekend. Tastes change.

I can tell you what I am doing today. Today some members of my guild, including me, will be demonstrating handspinnng and weaving at a museum. The museum we're going to interprets the Confederacy side of the American Civil War. It's exciting, getting to talk to people about handspinning. Almost exciting enough to make up for missing the guild sale.

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I am a handspinner, twisting fibre into yarn with a hand-powered drop spindle. This blog records what I learn and do. You may be here looking for a story, a solution, or information. I like to spin yarn, finish objects, listen to experienced makers, and research methods. I want handmade clothes out of local fibre in natural colours. I want more linen cloth in my life and more språng (an ancient braiding technique). I like to spin yarn in public, talk about handmade textiles to anyone who will listen, and help new spindle spinners. I am active in my local handspinners guild. I see handspinning as a worthwhile and relevant skill. I am a homesick Canadian, and I live in Virginia.

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By mentioning or describing any product, producer, vendor, manufacturer, fibre artist, external link, content provider, technique, book, or the like, I make no endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee. Their views and mine may disagree. I disclose it when I accept an unsolicited gift from a business. Links to external websites work at the time of posting but may become broken over time.

I post when I have something to say about handspun yarn and the fibre arts. I'm trying to remember to post something on Saturdays; posts go up at seven o'clock in the morning usually, sometimes at seven in the evening